Bob has been a DEA officer for three years who is attracted to a new CIA recruit, Mike. But, in 1976, if Bob is caught in a relationship with another man, his government career could be over. Is the quiet Mike even interested and is he worth it?

Although I found the premise a bit odd (1970s gay men? I kept picturing an overabundance of moustaches), the story between Bob and Mike got under my skin.

Once I got over my fear of moustaches, I found the setting intriguing since most psychologists had recently declared homosexuality not a mental illness and a new wave of people could express whom they were. Of course, many were very careful to not be too forthcoming with their sexual preferences.

This little discourse leads me to Bob. He is not necessarily openly gay, but he does not hide, either. Importantly, Bob is a character with depth that is a Vietnam vet and still recovering from the shocks of war and losing friends.

Then walks in Mike. He is a military sniper who also was in the war, but Mike has his own issues that pre-date his military service. I liked how Bob realized that Mike would not take to fast and hot, so Bob tries to take things slowly. Of course, the best laid plans…

The relationship between Bob and Mike is rather sweet, even if a bit awkward mainly because they do not want to openly court each since their careers could be in jeopardy. But, their tiptoeing only adds tension and excitement. Then, when the relationship looks like it is going to take off, there is a twist in the plot, which adds more dimensions to both characters.

Scar Tissue surprised me. The setting of the story is unusual, the characters different from the norm, and their relationship is actually quite sweet. I liked how Bob and Mike are both manly-type men who try out a relationship and how their story is very different from the romantic status quo. Give this one a try!

BookingIt Grade: A-

Publisher: Seventh Window
Pages: 71
Release Date: January 31, 2012

Buy from Seventh Window Publications. It is also available at the Amazon Kindle ebook store: Amazon
Book Description
It was 1976, the year of the .38 Special, the .45 Magnum, Cold War threats and Vietnam Vets returning state side looking for jobs. It was also a time when being gay could get you fired from your job, beat up or killed. This was especially true for Bob Elkins, third year DEA officer who finds himself deeply attracted to CIA newcomer Mike Wells. Although Mike returns Bob’s romantic gestures, he goes cold when it comes time to become intimate. Is Mike playing with Bob or is there something more going on? To find out, Bob must put his reputation and job on the line and risk everything.

Tags: gl roberts

This entry was posted by katie on Sunday, July 1st, 2012 at 10:51 am and is filed under Contemporary Romance, M/M. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.